GTA IV to sell 6 million copies

Grand Theft Auto IV is set to rack up USD 400 million in its first week and sell 6 million copies, according to a Variety report.

The article quotes "sources close to publisher Take-Two" as having supplied those predictions. "Though they rarely release the data, videogame publishers are able to accurately predict early game sales based on what retailers order," apparently.

Halo 3 previously enjoyed the biggest launch of any videogame in history, with USD 300 million made in its first week on sale and 5 million units shifted. But as Variety points out, that was an Xbox 360 exclusive - while GTA IV is coming out on PS3 too. On April 29th, in case you'd forgotten.

If Rockstar's latest effort does break the USD 400 million barrier, it could go on to beat the biggest grossing film of all time - Pirates of the Caribbean, which made USD 404 million at the box office.

In case you were wondering, 21.5 million copies of previous instalment Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas have now been sold.

Ellie spent nearly a decade working at Eurogamer, specialising in hard-hitting executive interviews and nob jokes. These days she does a comedy show and podcast. She pops back now and again to write the odd article and steal our biscuits.